Finding the Best Wedding Dress for Less

If you plan a budget wedding, there are ways to cut down on major expenses and find a beautiful gown for your special day. The good news is that you can get a great wedding dress for less. From sample sales to trunk shops, retailers offer special discounts on formal wear, and you will find dazzling wedding gowns for up to 50 percent off.

Shopping for a Wedding Dress

Trunk shows are a good place to shop for designer dresses, and you can get a discount of about 10 percent. If you are lucky, they will mark down alteration changes for you. Another option is to buy a used version for less, and there are websites and networks where past brides post listings. Ask whether alterations have been done before you buy a gown. If you choose to hit sample sales, you will find that they offer sample sizes only. Check with traditional retailers as well and ask whether they are willing to sell you a sample size (if it fits). Some retailers are happy to sell and make room for new collections and inventory. The best part is that many retailers offer sample sizes for 20 – 50 percent off. Ask whether dry cleaning is included in the price. If not, dry cleaning is a major expense. Expect to pay between $180 and $350, especially if you choose to use the services of an experienced cleaner. And if you are on a tight budget, then you may want to buy a simple dress and add accessories such as sashes, brooches, and belts to make it look more expensive. Finally, you may want to check with a professional dress maker. This may come as a surprise, but you are likely to pay less than the cost of a designer wedding dress.

Funding Your Wedding: Financial Tips

If you have money in your savings account, this is the perfect timing to go wild and shop around. Don’t fret even if you are running low on money. There is plenty of financial advice here. One way to finance your wedding and find a great dress is to buy on credit. If you have a low-rate credit card, you can use it to buy a dress for your special day. And if you don’t have a credit card yet, this is a good time to get one and put it to good use. Major banks offer specialty cards with affordable rates and low fees to customers with good and stellar credit. Another option is to apply for an unsecured consumer loan to cover your wedding expenses. The cheapest option is to get a secured loan but banks usually require collateral, and you risk losing a valuable asset in case of default.